3 Best Meditation Apps to Download Now

Cara Batema
Oct 28, 2018

Since meditation has gone mainstream, it is no wonder: There's an app for that! In today's fast-paced culture, people want to experience all of the science-based benefits of meditation for their mental health and physical well-being. They want a quick fix for everything from insomnia to lowering blood pressure to relieving anger. But mindfulness for beginners doesn't always come easy. Sometimes, you have to do a lot of meditating to get real results, like an increased attention span. Technology can definitely facilitate the process but only if you know how to use it. Don't get lost in the plethora of dating apps or be stuck in your head trying to figure out which are the best meditation apps. Check out the following breakdown of the three best meditation apps to download, including the pros and cons of each as well as whether or not they are free. Once you figure out which type of meditation app appeals most to you, you will get closer to finding your best app and experiencing that feeling of Zen, now!

Inscape Guided Meditation App: If You Like to Go off The Beaten Path

Do you love the sound of a soothing voice, accent included? You will enjoy listening to the meditations on Inscape. The app is organized in “moments” with guided meditations, breathers and visualizations for every part of your da, as well as themed singles and series meditations for all of your life challenges. If you are goal-oriented, you will appreciate the specific meditations that let you improve your relationships, boost your vitality and expand your creativity.

Whether you are looking for an “Energetic Morning,” “Upbeat Afternoon” or “Tranquil Evening,” you can browse several options — but only if you pay the subscription fee of $12.99 monthly or $58.99 yearly. Otherwise, there are a few free meditation options as well as free tools for breathing and journaling that you can enjoy with unlimited use. Other than the cost and only being available in the App Store for iOS devices, there aren’t many cons to this app. With over 2,000 reviews averaging 4.8 stars, many point out that it is a great, life-changing app for beginners to achieve mindfulness. Sure, there are many more well-established meditation apps with many more reviews, but if you’d like to go off the beaten path, as opposed to just following the crowd, this is the app for you.

Calm: If You Want an App Everyone Loves and More Restful Sleep

Calm, the number one App for meditation and sleep, was voted App of The Year in 2017, so you can bet there are plenty of positive reviews. Part of the mass appeal is the app’s unique meditations and ability to fit into just about anyone’s schedule with meditations ranging from just a few minutes to a half hour. The app features meditations with scenic background noise and beautiful photos of landscape as well as dozens of “Sleep Stories” that adults listen to at bedtime. Like Inscape, some of the meditations are free, and you also must unlock other features, including new content that is added daily, with a paid subscription. The free subscription is only seven days. The app is available for iOS, Android and the web. The costs are $12.99 per month, $59.99 per year and $299.99 for a lifetime subscription.

Insight Timer: When You Are Looking for a Freebie

Some say that the best things in life are free. Many of the 5 million people who use Insight Timer might agree! The No. 1 free meditation app on the Android and iOS stores, this app provides over 4,000 guided meditations. Beginners can have a field day exploring all different types of meditations. However, if you get overwhelmed by an array of options, you may want to find an app that helps you focus on the kind of meditation you most need. The app isn’t very organized as there is no list of the teachers’ names or step-by-step sequences to let your mind go on auto-pilot and be confident that you will get the most from your experience. If you are a do-it-yourself type, you can choose to listen to bells or calming sounds instead of the voices of any of the thousand teachers featured on the app; you can set a timer and meditate on your own. You will never really feel alone on this app, though, as the app tracks how many people currently completed the same meditation.

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